Reckless Abandon
by MeBeStephanie
Summary: When tragedy strikes the life of a little girl, Marie and Stein are there to fit the pieces back together in the best way they can. AU. SteinxMarie.


Marie wrapped her arms tighter across herself as she examined the seemingly peaceful face of Rachel; the little girl that Medusa 'inhabited'.

Her tiny body was wrapped snugly in the bed of the infirmary back at DWMA. Her chest rose and fell slowly indicating the restless slumber she'd been in for almost two days now. Marie was worried. Such an innocent little girl, she had her whole world turned around while that witch paraded around in her body.

Marie carefully smoothed some of her caramel hair behind one of her small ears and sighed, leaning back in her chair next to the bed Rachel occupied.

Her little nose twitched and she squirmed slightly, before a comfortable, small smile spread across her lips. Marie felt more hatred swell towards that awful witch. How could she take advantage of something so innocent, so precious? And the longer her gaze settled on the unconscious body of the girl, the more her heart broke a little.

"You should go home a get some rest Marie," Stein entered the room, paused, then put out his cigarette in an ashtray he kept by the door. Marie felt a small smile, the first one in days, grace her lips at the consideration Stein had for Rachel.

In truth, she didn't want to leave Rachel. Her maternal, protective instinct kicked in the moment she saw her unconscious in Medusa's lair, and she didn't want to just abandon her. She trusted Stein but she felt as though she would be failing her if she left. So she stayed, wanting to make sure she was safe.

"Rachel's fine, I promise." He offered a weak smile, but there was something about Stein's expression that told Marie otherwise.

She studied his face, and the corner of his lips quirked, something was up. She was quiet, she just looked up at him from her seat protectively by Rachel, sympathetic look tweaking her features.

"Nothing fatal," he justified, coming closer to the two, "She'll be a little weak when she wakes; the presence of a strong soul such as Medusa's over-powering hers will take it's toll, it had more of an effect because she's very young, but it'll pass".

Marie nodded slightly, and looked back at Rachel. Hoping, wishing, that those little brown eyes would pop open, and they could return her to her parents. Speaking of, they must be worried sick.

"Any word on her parents?" Marie asked, looking up at Stein. Worrying over Rachel, she didn't feel Stein lay his hand on her shoulder, it was comforting.

His hand twitched a little, and he sighed quietly, she wouldn't have caught it had she been looking at his face.

"Her mother is dead".

Marie gasped horrified, "W-what? How? Did Medusa-"

"It had nothing to do with Medusa," Stein noticed how distraught she was upon hearing the news, and began running his hand up and down her back soothingly.

"Then..." Marie looked back down at Rachel, helplessly trying to understand the tragic twist of events, "...how?"

"When Medusa took over Rachel and left, her mother was overcome by grief. She didn't think she would ever see her daughter again," Stein ceased his movements and rested his hand on Maries thin shoulder once again giving it a reassuring squeeze, "She took her life. We found out this information through her husband."

Marie shuddered. This situation was much more horrible then she could wrap her head around, "I just wish there was something we could do for him" she sighed, reaching out and gently grasping Rachels small hand in hers, stroking her thumb over her knuckles.

She couldn't imagine how it must feel to lose your daughter to something so evil and not know if you were ever going to see her again, only to lose your wife forever as the cause of it.

"I'm sure the only thing he wants now is his daughter back" Stein brushed his hand over her forehead gently, looking at her with a mixture of concern and awe, the same look he gave her when they defeated Medusa and he cradled her unconscious body protectively to his chest, and carried her the rest of the way back.

"And that's the best we can do for him."

A few more days passed and Rachel finally came out of her state, looking around the room curiously. Marie was the first to respond, being she was there since Rachel was admitted to the DWMA infirmary.

"Rachel...?" she asked hesitantly, almost overcome with the joy that she pulled through and seemed fine.

Rachel slowly blinked, shifting her head slightly to look around the room, and a small smile bloomed on her beautiful face as her chocolate eyes settled on Stein, who rushed over at hearing Marie.

Rachel opened her mouth, as if struggling to push the words out in her fragile state. She looked up happily at stein still trying to speak despite being this weak, "...Daddy?"

Marie tried to suppress her gasp, but failed. Her eyes flew to Stein. He looked puzzled for a moment, but played along. He gave her a sad smile and nodded his head before moving closer to sit on the edge of her bed and to her surprise, enveloped her small hand in his large one.

"Rachel, how are you feeling?"

Rachel opened her mouth to speak but a yawn overtook her, "sleepy" she finally replied. Her voice sounded so small, and she looked so frail.

Stein opened his mouth to speak as he smoothed Rachels hair behind her ear, and she looked up at him happily through lidded eyes. Stein looked like he completely changed what he was going to say.

"Why don't we get you something to eat and then you can go to sleep, okay?"

Rachel grinned, and nodded, gaining enthusiasm, "Okay daddy."

Once Rachel had something substantial in her system and dozed off, Stein just looked at her, shaking his head. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I didn't think it was possible", he muttered quietly. It was his turn to be seated, and Marie was behind him comfortingly massaging his shoulders.

"Didn't think what was possible?"

Stein removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "When Maka performed Genie Hunter to forcibly remove Medusa's soul from Rachels body it..it wiped Rachels memory" he cleared his throat, "Like I said she's very young...this ordeal had a bigger effect on her then I deemed possible".

Marie bit her lip, gently kneading her fingers into Steins broad shoulders, "She," Marie felt herself slightly begin to tear up, but try to mask it with a laugh, "She thinks you're her father."

Stein nodded, and they were both silent for a what seemed like forever when Stein finally spoke up again, his voice seemed shaken, "She was just in such a fragile condition. I didn't want to upset her with the absence of her father. To be honest I was hoping that she was just delirious from being unconscious for such a long time, and that she would realize after a few moments."

Marie wrapped her arms around Stein tightly, placing a gentle kiss on the top of his head and then resting her cheek there. He reached up a hand gripped her fore-arm crossing his chest.

"And I'm sorry I put you through that," he said quietly. It was hard enough for Marie to witness the poor girl so lost into thinking Stein was his father, but it was worse when she would look at Marie with such loving, trusting eyes and call her 'Mommy'. Stein distracted her as best as he could but he could see Marie slowly breaking behind her cheery veneer.

"Don't be, it's not your fault. And if it was really bothering me I had the option to leave. But I couldn't" she hugged him tighter, "I couldn't leave her. Or you".

It only took three more days and Rachel was, fully recovered. Physically. All that was left was for Stein to meet Rachels father and notify him of the current conflict. His reaction was not at all what Stein had expected.

After Stein told him that his daughter had lost her memory due to Medusa taking over her body, and Rachel being too young and not yet strong enough to resist, the man just sighed and sat down and simply said, "Keep her."

Stein blinked, shooting an incredulous glance at the father of the young girl back at DWMA without a care in the world.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand."

"I know I must seem like an awful guy, but to be honest, I'd never been good with Rachel. I'm always at work, my-" he took a shaky breath, "my wife was the one who was always with her."

Stein felt a sudden surge of anger, "She isn't a pet that gets attached to member of the household that gives her more attention then the other. She's your daughter," the fact that Stein had to be explaining this was sickening, "She loves you."

The man look conflicted, which further drove Steins anger, "And she doesn't have her mother, I don't want her to grow up without her mother."

"With the right parenting she doesn't need a mother. But what she does need is her father."

"I just can't do it." he seemed resigned.

It was silent for a long time. Angry silence. Stein stood there, in absolute confusion and to the point of murderous rage.

And then he just left. Without looking back.

When Stein got back to the DWMA, Marie was right where he expected, in the chair next to Rachels bed, watching over her protectively. Upon hearing his footsteps, Marie looked up, a glimmer of hope in her doe-eyed, golden brown eyes. He just shook his head, his eyes traveling towards Rachel, blissfully asleep in the bed.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, facing Marie and explained to her what had happened. Her expressions varying from disgusted to incredulous. A few tears streamed down her cheeks, and she looked at Rachel again.

Her serene face, occasionally twitching with sleep, screamed blissful ignorance. She just looked so happy and content, it made more silent tears stain Maries cheeks, and Stein wordlessly whip them away with his thumb.

"Oh Stein," she whispered, sniffling slightly, "We have to adopt her."

Stein just looked at her, face unreadable and silent.

Marie continued, "She already thinks we're her parents, and her real parents abandoned her" her gaze changed to Rachel. Sweet, innocent, blissfuly ignorant Rachel.

Stein just stared at Marie, then at Rachel and he then knew what he had to do.

"Yes." he said simply, and Marie whipped her head back up to look at him, mouth agape, and his smile grew.

"Yes?" she repeated almost as if afraid he would change his mind.

"Yes."

It took Stein a while getting used to the fact that he was a father now. He'd come home from the Academy, met with Rachel throwing her tiny little body at his leg, the biggest grin on her face. Her smile was infectious, and he found he was grinning back, chuckling even.

He'd scoop her up and notice Marie leaning in the doorway leading to the living room, smile on her face as well as she watched.

A lot of nights he'd be at his computer, Rachel in his lap talking and going on and on about the days activities, and he just smile and nod and she'd burst into fits of laughter as he ruffled her hair. Some nights he would be in a similar position, sitting on the couch, and it would be late and Rachel would be curled up against his chest fast asleep, and he would loose track of time staring at her. At how beautiful and perfect she was. It no longer bothered him she wasn't biologically 'his'.

Marie would walk over, the most genuine smile on her face, and scoop her up to put her to bed, placing a kiss on Steins forehead. He liked at how Marie wasn't quite used to it either, every time Rachel called her 'mommy' Maries eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but he always noticed, and she would look at their daughter with the most rewarding smile and tend to Rachel with such compassion and love he didn't think possible for a human being to give.

He remembered the first thunderstorm scare, it was late and a loud clap of thunder rumbled the house. Rachel came padding in, clutching a stuffed animal; a black and white puppy from Maka, tightly to her chest. Eyes wide with fear.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she gently placed the animal on the foot of the bed, then climbed up after it. Marie and Stein were sitting up in bed, lights on. Marie motioned her over, making soothing noises and holding her tight to her, trying to comfort her.

"Would you like to sleep in here?" Marie asked quietly with a smile, and Rachel nodded vigorously. Marie kissed her on the forehead and held up the covers, and Rachel scampered underneath them as another clap of thunder shook the house.

Before settling she got closer to Stein, and he scooped her up and held her close to him, running a hand over her head, she was still quivering with fear.

"It's alright darling," Stein said calmly, trying to quell her fear, "I won't let anything harm you".

Rachel looked up at him with big eyes and smiled, still a bit scared, and went under the covers, Marie hugged her close to her, kissing her multiple times on the head causing a fit of giggles, and Marie giggled too. Stein leaned over, kissed her on the forehead, then turned the lights out.  



End file.
